Exotic Pleasures (Persia and Asia observations)

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...the double aa should be read like the Greek alpha original: α, the ii like the Greek iota original: ι, the oo like the Greek omega original: ω, and so forth. I provide these instructions so that exotic words, when read by non-Germans and those of other languages original: heteroglottois (ἑτερογλώττοις), may maintain their genuine sound and not degenerate into entirely different words, as so often happens. In Persian words, the syllable representing the letter vav original: و is handled almost the same whether you pronounce it as aan, oon, or un, since the dialects of the Persians vary in this regard. This is seen in words like Kirmaan original: کرمان; referring to the province of Kerman or Caramania, aasmoon original: آسمان; meaning "heaven", Djebuun original: جهان; meaning "world", and six hundred other examples.

Regarding the measurements I have used throughout for surveying and mapping, I shall explain very briefly: by "paces" passus, I do not mean those formal "geometric paces" that consist of two full steps, but rather my own simple or common paces. These are the steps taken by a man of average stature, or perhaps slightly taller, covering at least two geometric feet.

By "parasangs" parasangas: an ancient Persian unit of distance, roughly 3.5 miles or 5.6 kilometers, one should understand distances of such a length that twenty-two and a half of them correspond to one degree of the celestial arc, or fifteen German miles A German mile in 1712 was significantly longer than a modern English mile, equaling about 7.5 kilometers..

Having thus forewarned the Reader, I bid you farewell and hope you look favorably upon my writings.